It also happens to be the 439th death anniversary of Chetak - the horse of Maharana Pratap - who
was no ordinary horse, whose faithfulness to his master is still a
thing talked about in Rajasthan. While we pay a lot of tributes to the
rulers in history, let us spare some time and remember this horse who
remained faithful to its master till its end.

On this day, posting an article about Chetak - the Maharana's legendary horse. The names of the Maharana and Chetak are inseparable & theirs is an eternal~~legend & an unforgettable tale.

Here's a story of a legendary king and his battle's'.

But it's also a story about a horse...

From a story of an eternal tree to an eternal legend. . .

Come, listen, to an unforgettable tale of a MAN and his HORSE!

This
story comes from Rajasthan, a land that is part desert and part
mountainous. The many clans of Rajputs who live in this inhospitable
land are as fierce as the sun that beats down on them and as strong as
the Aravalli mountains that run along the state's eastern boundary. They
bring colour and life to an otherwise barren land.

Nearly
a thousand years(800+) ago, the clan of Rathores moved into Marwar. There they found
one of the greatest treasures of all times " the Marwari horse. Do you
know that it is one of five indigenous horse breeds of India?

Well, on
with my story. The beauty, spirit, intelligence and loyalty of the horse
amazed the settlers; they went about the business of breeding them.
In a few hundred years, Rathores and other Rajputs had an impressive
cavalry of over 50,000 men. From then on began the great 'romance' of
Rajput warriors and their marwaris.

Maharana
Pratap selecting horses for his army brought by the Arab traders.
Chetak(on right side in white color) was also one of them.

Rana
Udai Singh, a Rajput ruler, was defeated at Chittor in 1568. He had to leave his capital to form a new
one at Udaipur. Four years later his son Rana Pratap Singh took the
reins of Mewar and for the next 25 years, ruled with courage, patriotism
and determination.

Shall I now begin one of the greatest "love" stories, one of a warrior king and his horse?

Then came a supreme test of the Maharana's kingship.

In
1576 the imperial army of Mughal Emperor Akbar made its way to capture
Udaipur. Maharana Pratap and his men waited at the entrance to a narrow
one-km long pass in the Aravalli Mountains. The pass called Haldighati
was the access to Mewar for the advancing army. A bloody battle
was fought between the armies. People still remember the courage and loyalty of his men and his horse.

Chetak, for that was the name of his horse, proved to be a marwari
horse and more. In the thick of the battle, the tusk of the elephant of Raja Man Singh(fighting for Akbar) tore
through one of Chetak's rear legs and crippled it. But the horse would
not give up. With his wounded king on the saddle, Chetak made his way
back to safety on his three good legs and collapsed.

Maharana Pratap in grief at the death of his 'Beloved' horse Chetak - Battle of Haldighati(1576)

Picture of portrait from the Haldighati Museum

Another
remarkable act of loyalty which the king could never forget was of his trusted aide Jhala Man Singh (not to be confused with Raja Man Singh of Amer)who grabbed the Maharana's royal crown and wore it, as the Mughal army
closed in on him. The deception worked. While the enemy soldiers
followed the "king" and killed him. Maharana Pratap was unharmed..

Maharana Pratap with Chetak breathing his last - Model from Haldighati Museum

Beautiful, isn't it?

The
years after the Battle of Haldighati were difficult for the ruler of
Mewar. Living in the jungles, sleeping on straw and eating off leaf
plates, the warrior king, his family and his subjects continued their
fight to recapture their land from the MOST powerful MAN of his times - Mughal Emperor Akbar, but never surrendered. In 25 years, the king regained his kingdom except the Fort of Chittor & Mandalgarh.

On his death bed, he made his successor
and eldest son Amar Singh promise that as long as Mewar was not
completely won back, no ruler should eat off gold or silver plates and
sleep on mattresses. So, this was a MAN who lived and died up to his IDEALS.!

Even today, the Mewar Royal Family places a leaf
under their plate and straw under their beds to keep the promise made to
Maharana Pratap 400 years BACK.!!

1. Maharana Pratap used to carry 2 swords with him, always. It can be very well seen in each portrait posted here.

It
is said that the 2 swords were kept by him for a special reason. In case
his enemy was without a weapon, one of the swords was given to the
enemy, as it was against 'Rajput' code of warfare to attack an unarmed
person..2. Some contents of this article have been borrowed from an article which appeared in The Hindu.

About brave battles and true gritWhen all that history is writThere will sit saddled, one great nameWithin the heroes’ hall of fameThe horse Chetak’s, a MarwariA breed that would the least tarry.

Folklore etched their names in goldPaeans are sung, stories toldOf rider and the brave blue horseNow, more renowned the horse of courseIn harness he died, one great nameYears pass, but not that horse’s fame.

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